Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-02-18
n AMENDMENT.
IT'S PASSAGBBY THE SENATE CREATES CON
SIDERABLE EXCITEMENT.
publie Sentiment Decidedly Adverse 10 the Measure
The Coming Vote by the
People.
"well, 1 see the amendment has

Oh1
passed"
"'Yes, it's gone through at last"
Lets take something"
This conversation, and others of a SINH
lar tenor and having the same ending, was
repeated many times during yesterday
afternoon and last evening, and it Is safe
to say that the patronage Of the saloons
was increased twenty per cent during the
day by the announcement OF the action OF
the State Senate at Charleston. The news
of the passage of the measure was received
in this city about eleven O'Clock yes
terday and was at once bulletined at
the newspaper offices. Within a very
short space of time the fact that the reso-
luton had received the necessary two
thirds vote was spread all over the city by
those who stopped at the morning paper
offices long enough to read the kilograms
posted, and the amount OF discussion re-
sulting showed the tremendous interest
the public felt in the matter at. issue.
There was at first great curiosity to learn
the causes which had led Senators Price
and FlournOy to change their votes, and
that once settled, a multitude OF questions
relating to the time of taking the vote,
whether a majority OF all the
votes cast, would suffice to ratity
the amendment, what measures would
have to be taken by the next
Legislature to perfect the law, and so on,
were asked and discussed FROM all magma
BILE standpoints. There was great diver
sity of opinion as to what proportion OF the
p%opular vote was necessary to ratity the
amendment, many holding that a bare
majority only was required, while Others
As stoutly contended that two-thirds or
three-ffths of the votes were necessary.
With a view to settling this point the
Constitution of the State was examined by
a REGISTER reporter.
Article NV. says:
J. ANY amendment to the Constitution
of the State may be proposed in either
House of the Legislature; and if the same,
being read on three several days IN each
House. be agreed TO on its third reading,
by two-thirds OF the members elected
thereto, the proposed amendment, with
the ayes and nays thereon, shall be entered
on the journals, and it shall be the duty OF
the Legislature to provide by law for sub
uniting the same to the voters of
the State for ratification or reIec-
ton at the next general election
thereafter, and cause the same to be pub
lished at least three months before such
election in some newspaper IN every coun-
ty in which a newspaper Is printed. Ana
il a majority of the qualified voters voting
on the question at the polls held pursuant
to such law, ratify the proposed ameLd-
ment. it shall be in force from the time OF
such ratification, rs part of the COnStltu-
ton of the State. Ii two or more amend
ments he submitted at the same time, the
vote Oh the ratification or rejection
shall he taken OH each separately.
This disposed effectually OF the majority
uuestiop. But in its stead another disagree
ment sprang up, as 10 the meaning OF the
phrase, lat the next general election. y
Generally this was construed to mean the
election for State officers occurring on the
second Tuesday in November, 1888. But
some, and among them were numbered the
best legal authorities in the city, cOntended
that should the Legislature conclude to
pass a supplemental act, ordering 4 vote OF
the people to be taken upon the amend
ment, that wOuld he the next general cleo
ton" and would, if the proposition was
ratified, reduce the two years which would
otherwise elapSe before the election
of 1888, to a period Of probably
only Il few months. This special election
idea. however, was not favored by n great
many, who cOntended that the language OF
the Constitution ought not to be construed
as meaning anything but the elections for
State officers or members of the Legisla-
ture, and that any attempt on the part OF
the Legislature 10 TuSh the amendment
before the people would open the door to
endless litigation, involving some exceed
iugly nice questions of law.
Another point much debated during the
day was the length of time which would
elapse before the amendment, presumlng 1t
would he ratified by the people, would go
into effect. Section NV. of the Constltu-
ton, quoted above, states in unmlstaka6le
terms that the amendment goes into effect
as soon as it has been ratified, but as there
would be no penalties for noncompliance
with the amendment until after the meet
ing of the next Legislature it would be
practically imperative during the interval
which would elapse between the date OF
the election and passage of a law preScrlb-
ing penalties by the Legislature. The next
until January, 1852, ana
as it would require probably nearly as
much time to perfect and pass n law as 1t
has taken to get the JOINT Resolution
through this session, Just about two years
would elapse before the liquor interest
would have been put to any serious incon-
Venience.
Yet another point discussed with much
animation and earnestnesS by all classes
OflcitiZenS, was the effect the ratification OF
the amendment and its subsequent enforce
ment would have upon the financial affairs
OF our city. As has already been pointed
out in the REGISTER, the loss of saloon
licenses means the Curtailment of our
municipal income by $40, 600 or S5O,OOO
per annum. This will have to be made
up nv an increase in the levy, on authority
conferred by q special legislative act, or
else economy in the expenditure OF city
money must be practiced, so as to make
the books balance without tine license
money. This means the reduction of
salaries. the Topping of of the heads OF
many officers, the cessation 0t street i'm
provement, the reduction of the fire de-
partment and police force, and
so on. it is, of course, claimed by
the temperance people that with
the amendment will COme a great decrease
in the need for public guardians, and that
the business of our Courts will be so far
thinned out that the expenses on that score
can he materially reduced and perhaps that
will be the case.
Many other points might be cited as be-
ing referred to by cur people during the
day. but enough has been given to show
the deep interest excited. REGISTER re-
pOrters talked to scores of citizens in all
walks of life, during the day, and found
the sentiment to he nearly unanimous in
opposition to the amendment. Even tenn
perance men admitted that q high LICENSE
law would nave been very much better Is
far as practically reducing the consumption
of intOxicantS and curtailing the resulting
misery and crime, is concerned, and all
agreed that the interests of our city must